College of Mines

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, May 1, 1930

The College of Mines Building on the University of Washington campus. See article by Professor Joseph Daniels.

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Saved miner describes 20 hours in tomb; two dead in Black Diamond coal disaster

Originally published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 30, 1924

Trapped worker is reached by life savers in strange disaster at nearby colliery

Hope of reaching Wise’s body given up after comrade describes fate; another hurt

By J. Newton Colver

Figure in Black Diamond mine disaster. These pictures, taken at the scene of the Black Diamond mine slide, show the officials who directed the rescue operations that brought one of three men alive from the depths of the mine, where they had been entombed. Above, from left to right, are: Ray Smith, chief engineer of the Black Diamond mine; Frank Koepfli, King County deputy coroner; D.C. Botting, manager of mines for the Pacific Coast Company; N.D. Moore, vice president of the company; Jack Parker, deputy state mine inspector. Below are Botting (left) and Parker in conference. Photos by Post-Intelligencer staff photographer.

Face to face with impending death for twenty hours, in the depths of the Black Diamond coal mine forty miles from Seattle, Manley Cooney walked forth at supper time last evening, free, unhurt, happy to greet his young wife.

Less fortunate were two comrades, caught in an earth shock and resultant slide, spoken of in mine terminology as a “bump.”

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Buried alive, tells of rescue

Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, April 30, 1924

Mine worker snatched from jaws of death

Manley Cooney calmly walks out of Black Diamond colliery after being imprisoned for twenty hours

Manley Cooney (left), who was rescued alive after being buried for twenty hours in a mine cave-in at Black Diamond. “I walked into the mine, and I’ll walk out,” said Cooney when the rescuers reached him, and he made his way to the surface without assistance. He was photographed a few minutes after he reached the mine portal. D.C. Botting, manager of mines (right), who directed the work of rescue.

How it seems to be face to face with death for twenty hours and be snatched back to safety just in time to escape an avalanche of rock and coal, was described this morning by Manley Cooney, Black Diamond miner, whoso two companions were killed Monday night in a “bump” in the twenty-ninth chute in the eleventh level of the Pacific Coast Coal Company’s mine, 1,600 feet below the surface.

The body of O.C. Wise, Cooney’s partner, was recovered at 6 o’clock this morning, about twenty-five feet from where Cooney lay uninjured for twenty hours. The body of Robert Doucett, third miner caught in the avalanche of rock and coal, was recovered yesterday.

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Rescuers hear miners buried at Black Diamond!

Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, April 29, 1924

One victim found dead in workings; Robert D. Doucett loses life, but rescuers have hopes of finding Manley Cooney and O.C. Wise alive

Caught by a cave-in last night, 1,500 feet below the surface, in the eleventh, south level of the Pacific Coast Coal Company mine at Black Diamond, one miner was killed and two others entombed. The body of Robert D. Doucett was rescued this morning. The two other miners, Manley Cooney and O.C. Wise, are believed to be alive.

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Going north

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, April 1, 1930

The Pacific Coast Cement Company’s Dall Island crew just before boarding the S.S. Queen for the island. We’ll endorse any statement to the effect that this is a fine-looking bunch. All went north with the exception of W.H. Green, plant manager, standing at the extreme right. Bon voyage.

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Bandits loot mine store of cash, gems

Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, March 27, 1924

Entering the general store of the Pacific Coast Coal Company at Black Diamond some time after 1 o’clock yesterday morning, bandits smashed open the safe and escaped with $1,200 in cash, diamond rings, and broches valued at $500, and a quantity of clothing, shoes, and tobacco, valued at several hundred dollars.

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New coal mine to be opened; successor to Black Diamond

Originally published in The Seattle Times, March 23, 1924

As part or a $600,000 development program to be carried out within the next eighteen months, the Pacific Coast Coal Company, it was announced yesterday, will open up a new coal mine in the Cedar River Valley near Indian, less than eighteen miles southeast of Seattle. The mine will be one the largest in Western Washington when fully developed and it is the company’s plan to have it ready to hoist coal for the market a year from next September with a minimum producing capacity of 1,000 tons a day.

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Race to rescue men entombed in Franklin mine

Originally published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 18, 1914

Imprisoned forty hours, crews hope to reach them tonight

Caught by cave-in: Believed to have occurred fifty feet from point where men were working—hope expressed they survive until rescuers arrive

Two coal miners, Mike Debenetsky and Andrew Chernick, are entombed in their working rooms in the Cannon mine at Franklin, near Black Diamond, by a surface cave-in and for the past forty hours rescuers directed by the Pacific Coast Coal Company officials and state coal mine inspectors have been engaged in a desperate effort to reach the buried workers in the hope that they still survive.

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And we also have coal: A Post-Intelligencer motorlogue

Originally published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 17, 1924

Counting the gifts which Nature showered upon the Puget Sound country, we sometimes omit one of the most precious—coal. From Bellingham, 100 miles north, to Centralia, an equal distance south, black nuggets occur in workable deposits. From under Seattle’s southern doorstep, ten miles from Pioneer Square, coal is taken. It is taken from the picturesque foothill country right up to the Cascade Mountains, and over them. Rushing rivers fill our minds with their promise of “white coal.” But don’t forget that, generally speaking, the grimy old king is still on his throne.

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The 1930 Central Council

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, January 31, 1930

Perched on the twenty-first floor of the Smith Tower. Standing left to right: H.B. McFadden (retiring), W.R. Young (retiring), M.H. Davis (new), W.A. Wilson, Manager of Mines, G.F. Clancy, Assistant Manager of Mines, Ted Sthay (retiring), Robert Scobie, Jr., Supt. New Black Diamond Mine, Mike Semsick (new). Kneeling, left to right: James Craig (new), E.A. Bailey (retiring), James Sherwood, George Pearce (new), Robert Simpson, Supt. of Carbonado Mine, and A.R. Wesley.

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